Chapter 3. Block pools

The OpenShift Container Storage operator installs a default set of storage pools depending on the platform in use. These default storage pools are owned and controlled by the operator and it cannot be deleted or modified. With OpenShift Container Platform, you can create multiple custom storage pools which map to storage classes that provide the following features:

  • Enable applications with their own high availability to use persistent volumes with two replicas, potentially improving application performance.
  • Save space for persistent volume claims using storage classes with compression enabled.
Note

Multiple block pools are not supported for external mode OpenShift Container Storage clusters.

3.1. Creating a block pool

Prerequisites

  • You must be logged into the OpenShift Container Platform web console as an administrator.

Procedure

  1. Click Operators → Installed Operators.
  2. Click OpenShift Container Storage operator → Block Pools tab → Create Block Pool.
  3. Enter Pool name.
  4. Select Data protection policy as either 2-way Replication or 3-way Replication.
  5. Select Volume Type.

  6. (Optional) Select Enable compression checkbox if you need to compress the data.

    Enabling compression can impact application performance and might prove ineffective when data to be written is already compressed or encrypted. Data written before enabling compression will not be compressed.

  7. Click Create.

3.2. Updating an existing pool

Prerequisites

  • You must be logged into the OpenShift Container Platform web console as an administrator.

Procedure

  1. Click Operators → Installed Operators.
  2. Click OpenShift Container Storage operator → Block Pools.
  3. Click the Action Menu (⋮) at the end the pool you want to update.
  4. Click Edit Block Pool.

  5. Modify the form details as follows:

    1. Change the Data protection policy to either 2-way Replication or 3-way Replication.

    2. Enable or disable the compression option.

      Enabling compression can impact application performance and might prove ineffective when data to be written is already compressed or encrypted. Data written before enabling compression will not be compressed.

  6. Click Save.

3.3. Deleting a pool

Use this procedure to delete a pool in OpenShift Container Storage.

Prerequisites

  • You must be logged into the OpenShift Container Platform web console as an administrator.

Procedure

  1. Click Operators → Installed Operators.
  2. Click OpenShift Container Storage operator → Block Pools tab.
  3. Click the Action Menu (⋮) at the end the pool you want to delete.
  4. Click Delete Block Pool.
  5. Click Delete to confirm the removal of the Pool.
Note

A pool cannot be deleted when it is bound to a PVC. You must detach all the resources before performing this activity.